Why do people hate epiphones?

[Achtung Baby]

I can’t understand why people hate epiphones, yeah if you spend 150 bucks on an epiphone your not buying a very good guitar, but I own an epiphone les paul classic, throw on a P-90 or even dual humbuckers and they sound great. Just because they’re inexpensive doesn’t mean they’re not good. Compared to a Gibson, no contest, but still great guitars for people who aren’t filthy rich.

[Randy Jane]

Hey man…
Ok, there are a ton of people out there who are simply guitar snobs. "If it wasnt over $1,000.00 then it simply isn’t good." That is a big load of caca. There are plenty of guitars under $500 that are amazing. As for Epiphone, I have had a few of them..two basses and a guitar (Thunderbird, S-200, and the ’67 V RI). Simply put, the V is probably the best guitar I have ever owned and plays/sounds the best….at only $350. "Then you havent owned quality." I have had about 40 guitars so far, most of which did not exceed a grand, but some did. The Kramer Pacer I had rocked (Twelve hundred) my Martin rules (twelve hundred) and then more Im sure, but even those guitars dont match the quality of my Epiphone V. I have played the same V only a Gibson version and I seriously thought it was going to fall apart in my hands….brand new. New guitars simply do not cut it anymore…guitar companies are not out for the instrument anymore, theyre out for the money. People who have old Gibsons and Fenders swear by them and with good reason, you dont get good quality that often anymore. I personally think that its funny that Epiphone is getting to be better than Gibson.
Has anyone played a new Jackson lately? The looks of one repels you if you are an older Jackson fan. The necks feel terrible, the bindings are crap. The finishes are hazy….why do they even bother anymore? Gibson bindings are bad too. I guess I have to be fair and rag on Fender as well, the decals are obviously apparent now, where as ten years ago, you’d never know it wasnt paint. The finishes arent quite what they once were. In fact, unless you pay dearly, you probably wont get a really great feeling and sounding Fender for under..say, $800-$900. I’m sure there are great deals out there, but just in general. Oh man…what has B.C. Rich done to themselves? You can play an 80’s Rich and then look at a new one…and run back to the old one, theyre just plain bad now. I’m a fan of the Floyd Rose you know, and I’m getting into Paul Gilbert, Vai, Buckethead, etc. and it seems that this is where the market is supposed to be geared towards…metal heads. Fender has released a Metal Head amp that is just scary. It’s big, nasty…and like 700 Watts. I’m left to assume that they are competing with Krank amplification. Krank is…as it sounds, a very loud amp. They are big and bulky, come in different colors and I am supposed to like them. I gave them a few chances, but I cant get into the way they sound. Volume is a lot of what I need…probably around 30-40% However, the rest HAS to be tone. If it doesnt sound good, I dont want it. The asking price for these things are hillarious. The guitar shop here has a full stack and a half stack, the full is about $2,500. and the half is around $1,500. Thanks, but I’ll stick with a $400-600 Fender Twin Reverb. (Cheaper if I could make one).

Basically what this ramble is about..is it simply DOES NOT MATTER how much you paid for your gear. Anyone who tells you it does, needs to have their liver removed, shot, then put back in them. It doesnt matter what gear you use, no matter what Slash uses, or Vai, or me, or even J…you are not these people. You will not get the same sounds they get with their setup that they personally sat up. Even Yngwie Malmsteen..the egotistical so and so himself, said that "I could plug into an SG and a Crate amp and you would know right away who it was playing." Don’t worry about what other people say or think about your equipment. Find what is right for you, and play. We dont need anymore clones out there, there are enough Limp Biskit, Korn, Cake, Mudhoney, Starfish and the Galactic Empire of Robot Fruit Cakes out there. (that last band isnt actually a band…just made that one up for fun…hehe).

Play what YOU want to play.
Randy Jane.

[lookitssam]

I have an Epiphone G-400 SG and it suits me fine. If I bought 50 dollar pups for it it’d be pretty much the same as a Gibson (only $500 less).

[stanner]

loaded question
you should ask: why do guitarists like ephiphones when they are cheaper than Gibsons…?
i have an Epi LesPaul w/ those soapbar type p/u’s and i get every sound i’ve ever wanted out of it…
s

[Mattman]

Well, if it makes you feel any better, I’m thinking of looking into an Epiphone Dot… A decent semi-hollow at under $500, yes please!

If you want a decent Fender guitar, buy a G&L. They’re affordable and generally better quality than most of Fender’s lower and mid-price stuff. Even the Korean assembled Tribute series stuff is excellent… and you’re still technically buying a Fender, because G&L is the company that Leo Fender started in the early-80’s after he sold Fender to CBS in the mid-60’s.

I agree with RJ, you just about couldn’t hand me a modern Gibson. I think we’re seeing with them the same thing that happened to Fender in the 70’s. The bean counters are running the company at the expense of quality, and they’re coasting on the company’s past reputation.

[Achtung Baby]

Wow…Thanks for the extensive,and detailed, replies. Yeah I’m definately liking my new toy. I’m thinking about putting a single coil in becasue I want a little more edge. But thats in a different forum….

Thanks again

[dashrq]

Hey there. I work in a guitar store and the reason I hate Epiphones is because their quality control has really let them down over the last few years. Little things like guitars shipping with no pickup surrounds or unfinished wiring. They have gone some way towards sorting it out but there’s a long way to go.

[lookitssam]

Not like they have an option, Gibson owns the company and has designated it as their "budget" brand.

[jebus_the_llama]

i dont like epiphone, because im not paying 500-700 for a bottom of the line guitar, when i could be a fender or other brands mid range guitar, although i am temtped to buy the epi firbird. after i get a job.

[Randy Jane]

You know, I was talking to a guy that works in the Gibson store in Nashville. They make Epiphones in Nashville you know, he was telling me the differences in Gibsons and Epi’s. He said that one had "better" pickups than the other one, and that one had a Gibson inlay instead of an Epiphone inlay/paint. He said the Epiphone Les Paul Custom was exactly the same specs as the Gibson Les Paul Custom, less the pickups…not too shabby. To me, that’s not saying anything about Epiphones being a "bottom of the line guitar." That’s just saying that people don’t really know what’s going on in the factories so they pay more because their friends tell them that a Gibson is better, and obviously a guy in a guitar store is going to tell you that Gibson is the better choice, (except the ones here..they hate Gibson) but that’s only because they have like 17 or more Gibsons to move out and they want you to think you’re getting a great deal on a Gibson Les Paul for about $1,200 instead of the Epi’s $500-$600….SAME GUITAR!!! Sure, a Gibson is going to have a better resale value unless you just get a really nice, rare Epiphone. But then, who buys them to get rid of them anyways?

[jebus_the_llama]

hm. when i ment bottom of the line, i ment, the bottom of the line of epiphone, i know they make some good guitars, but epis get into the thousand dollar range too.

[een]

HAHAHH dude, you can have your epiphone custom. Yeh real great guitar that is…. Its great u have over 40 guitars, its sad that u could have bought less and got somethin decent, i.e. a gibson not an epiphone. Guys seriously, save your money and go for the real thing. Its very worth it. Having good gear once means u dont have to go and buy another 30 guitars. Buy a Gibson and u cant get any better. Yeh epiphones are good, for a first guitar. If u dont have one, get it, after that, upgrade.. why play with little boys toys ppl. do urself a favour.

[Randy Jane]

Hmmm. This brings me the thoughts of the old guitar snobs. Yeah, sure…Gibson has a good reputation…however, they are not for ME. I’m very happy that YOU like them…..YOU can pay $1,000 too much for something YOU like if you wish….however, I am perfectly happy with the guitars that I own….ALL of them. People like you make me hate Gibson. I think about what you say when I’m trying out guitars and pick up a gibson (any price range from $1,000 to $10,000) and I just simply do not like them. I really don’t care what you think of my gear….I’ve never cared what people think of me or my belongings. You can stick to your Gibson and get the same one decent tone out of your guitar, and I will stick to my guitars and get any tone I want. You know, it’s funny…I had just wrote about guitar snobs in this thread I believe. You’re just proving my point, so thank you…you started the replies laughing at me, however I’m getting a real kick out of it. I’ve never been one for name brands, but I’m sure you are. "I’ll buy this because people say its better"…..only because it used to be….Gibson is living off of thier past…..screw the future…nah screw Gibsons. ha ha ha.
Randy Jane.

[een]

Yeh truth… i am a guitar snob and love it. its good gear, nah FUCKIN AWESOME gear and i dont have to defend any of it against others. ppl buy mercedes and ferrari for a reason, if u dont know why thats your problem, but dont tell me you dont want one… ay ill get in touch when i have 40 guitars, or maybe ull be in touch with me because ull want to play somethin decent..u wont see an epiphone headstock thats for sure…oh and i bought them because I say they are better cheers randy love ya

[Mattman]

een,

No doubt Gibson’s stuff was top of the line back in the day, but I have to agree with Randy Jane. Gibson’s quality control is sliding into the toilet and they’re coasting on their reputation right now. It’s been said that an Epiphone is 90% of a Gibson, and from what I can tell, that gap is closing… Besides, most of your sound is in the tips of your fingers, and not as much in the price tag on your gear.

Don’t let me discourage you though… If you have the extra $$$$ to buy Gibson’s overpriced stuff, and you feel that it makes you more ligitimate, then that’s your perogative. Just beware that you’re likely getting a limited return on your investment. Oh well, I’m a guitar player, not a guitar collector…

One more thing.. I don’t really understand what you mean when you say "i dont have to defend any of it against others". Since it’s obvious by your post count that you signed up on this forum for the sole purpose to post in this thread, it seems much more likely that you’re doing the attacking. If I’m wrong, please clarify…

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